The pace of business is accelerating. To keep up companies need to be able to move fast and seize new opportunities. That means keeping employees in touch with the people, tools and information they require, wherever and whenever they need them. If you can help them do this securely, the rewards can be huge. So how can it be done?

Today's workers are more mobile. They keep working on the road, at home, and at customer sites. According to the Cisco VNI Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast, there will be 5.5 billion mobile users worldwide by 2020. That's up from 4.8 billion in 2015. For road warriors, every missed call or email is a lost business opportunity.

Mobile connections are getting more complex too. And employees on the go have a host of options. An employee might call into a WebEx conference on their smartphone on their way to work using a cell connection. But when they get to the office, their phone will need to automatically switch to their company's Wi-Fi network to get the best signal.

So how can you help companies deliver the secure, non-stop mobile experience they expect, regardless of access method? Virtual private networks (VPNs) are a great way to support enterprise mobility, and the latest technology can help your enterprise customers make the most of it.

Mobile connections that are good to go

For example, security is top of mind for every enterprise with a mobile workforce. The threat landscape is changing, and a new breed of hackers are taking aim at mobile devices to get their hands on sensitive business and personal data.

An Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG) can help service providers ensure every user's mobile experience remains secure, regardless of where they connect. An ePDG works as a gateway between Wi-Fi, untrusted networks and cellular networks. When a user moves to an untrusted network for data, voice or video services, the ePDG creates IPsec and Internet Key Exchange Version 2 (IKEv2) tunnels to protect the traffic with strong encryption.

But what about keeping the VPN connection while users roam across networks and in and out of wireless coverage? With an IP VPN, employees can stay connected even when they are on the move. Instead of logically tying the endpoint of the network tunnel to a physical IP address, each tunnel is tied to the IP address at the device. So connections won't drop just because a user switches networks. It's the key to seamless, safer mobility.

The right network makes it possible

It's clear that VPNs have a huge potential for businesses that need to support a more mobile workforce. They will look for a service provider that can deliver the steady performance and security their employees need, whether they are in the office, at home or on the go. This is your chance to offer that service. Grab it now.

Find out more

Cisco solutions for service providers, including the Cisco Ultra Services Platform and Cisco ePDG Evolved Packet Data Gateway, can help your network be ready to deliver. To learn more, visit www.cisco.com/go/mobile.